Boat won't start, clicking noise when starting

[Ohiodeerhunter]

I have a 1989 Bayliner capri with a 125 hp L drive force motor. When I go to start it the gauges move a little and all I hear is a clicking noise. Any ideas as to what this could be?

[bigmac]

Usually that means discharged battery. Charge it up and see what happens. If it won't take a charge, get it load-tested and replace it if necessary. Or, better yet, just drop the $60 and replace it with another marine cranking battery. If it still clicks, might be a bad starter solenoid, or might be a bad starter.

[JimN]

I have a 1989 Bayliner capri with a 125 hp L drive force motor. When I go to start it the gauges move a little and all I hear is a clicking noise. Any ideas as to what this could be?

Open the motor cover and look at the terminals on the starter. If they're corroded, clean them and try it again. If the battery was connected all winter, the battery is probably dead. If it was on a trickle charger, it may also be toast because they can't always have any way to monitor the battery's charging needs. A float charger is much better. The weighted gear on the end of the starter should move when you try to turn it in the opposite direction of when it cranks. If it doesn't, clean the shaft and lube it. It it still won't climb when you crank, remove the starter and connect it to a new battery (if you haven't verified that the battery is good). You should be able to use a jumper wire to to connect from the battery cable post on the solenoid to the crank wire post (you don't need heavy cables for this). I don't have the color code but if I remember, it's red/yellow or yellow/red. The solenoid should only have three or four wires and if you have a test light, you can verify which wire goes hot when you crank.

If it still doesn't want to crank, have the starter and solenoid checked.

[russlars]

The ultimate answer to your problem is a new MasterCraft!;)

[CameronCarey]

The ultimate answer to your problem is a new MasterCraft!;)

Or and Old Mastercraft,

Seriously it's a discharged battery (there good for about 2 years typically) , the starter solonoid (they die randomly) or a bad battery cable connection.

Given that your dealing with a bayliner its possible you have some questionable grade wiring, i'd check every connection ..on the ground this is battery to engine block and the positive is battery to starter solonoid......including the battery disconnect..........inspect the wires for green corrosion........if you see any ..........replace them.......if your in a fresh water only environment...........IE not near the coast..... automotive grade battery cables will probably be fine.

[Hrkdrivr]

The ultimate answer to your problem is a new MasterCraft!;)

I was wondering when someone was going to say something like this... :rolleyes:

[bigmac]

I was wondering when someone was going to say something like this... :rolleyes:


Agree.

Maybe this thread (http://mastercraft.com/teamtalk/showthread.php?t=30518) is applicable.

I found quite a few folks had a standing consensus that MC owners in general have a "better than you" attitude. They say that for some reason, MC owners and MC dealers have the same type of attitude.

[ROB]

Don't waste your time. New starter.

[BSink]

Battery...no doubt

[JimN]

I'm a big fan of testing things to find out where the problem actually is. If you connect the battery directly to the starter and it cranks, it's obviously not the starter but the Bendix or solenoid could be bad. If it doesn't crank, try another battery. If it cranks or not, the problem will be evident. Could be cables, too.

[LYNRDSKYNRD]

Try the battery first and then work through the other parts of the system.